The 228-MPH 935 Moby Dick Was Unfair to Porsche Racing Customers

For the third season it ran the dominant 911-based 935, Porsche built a special car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Later nicknamed "Moby Dick" due to Norbert Singer's aerodynamic long-tail bodywork, the 935/78 also used a new engine. Longtime Porsche engine guru Hans Metzger increased the twin-turbo flat-six's displacement from 3.0 to 3.2 liters, and added a water-cooled four-valve cylinder head. With the block remaining air-cooled, this motor had a peak output of 845 horsepower.

Partly due to the fact that it used a loophole Porsche's private customers could't benefit from with their regular 935s, the Martini-liveried works 935/78 "Moby Dick" was only entered into four races. It won its test battle at Silverstone with Jochen Mass and Jacky Ickx, but at Le Mans, the Moby Dick finished eighth despite being the fastest car down the Mulsanne Straight. At Vallelunga and the Norsring later that year, the car didn't manage to finish.

Porsche

At the 2018 Goodwood Members' Meeting, Jochen Mass was reunited with his 228-mph quasi-prototype, which came straight from the Porsche Museum, only to find snowfall in the south of England. It was one of those days.

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